Governor Jim Justice on Thursday secured federal funding for emergency response work and repairing or rebuilding damaged facilities resulting from severe storms during the week of Memorial Day.

President Donald J. Trump granted a request from Governor Justice and declared that the May 28 - June 3 flooding, landslides, mudslides and wind damage qualified for federal disaster aid.

As a result, Public Assistance funding is now available for Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, and Pendleton counties. Justice has also requested Public Assistance for Berkeley County. A decision on that request remains pending.

The president's declaration does provide cost-sharing assistance statewide through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, to support efforts that prevent or reduce long-term risks from such natural hazards. Governor Justice had requested that aid statewide.

Public Assistance is for state and local government entities as well as eligible private nonprofit organizations. It offers reimbursement funding for emergency work and to repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities.

When he requested the federal declaration in late June, Governor Justice cited how the joint preliminary damage assessment for this event identified more than $4.5 million in eligible costs and damage. It identified Hampshire County as at the center of the affected area with over 40 percent of the verified damage.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help to carry out the governor's declaration, in coordination with the W.Va. Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.